OAKLAND -- It's official. The Oakland Athletics have announced the signing of Hiroyuki Nakajima. As previously reported, the Japanese-born shortstop will be introduced to the media in Oakland at 2 p.m. and you can see it right here on CSNBayArea.com or Comcast SportsNet California.

The eight-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star was signed to a two-year deal with a club option for a third season. He is expected to be the A's starting shortstop, replacing Stephen Drew, who agreed to sign with the Boston Red Sox. Nakajima, 30, hit .311 with 13 home runs, 74 RBI, 52 walks, and a .382 on-base percentage in 136 games in Japan last season.

To make room on the 40-man roster the A's have traded outfielder Collin Cowgill to the New York Mets for minor league third baseman Jefry Marte. Once regarded as one of the Mets' top prospects in 2009, Marte struggled in 2010 and 2011. The 21-year-old native of the Dominican Republic hit .251 with 20 doubles, three triples, nine homers, and 58 RBI in 129 games for Double-A Birmingham in 2012. He was named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star last season.

Cowgill was originally acquired prior to the 2012 season from Arizona as part of the trade that sent Trevor Cahill to the Diamondbacks. He played 28 games with Oakland and hit .269 with one homer and nine RBI.

His most memorable A's moments both came against the Giants. On May 20 in San Francisco, he took out Tim Lincecum at the plate with a head-first slide that led to a 6-2 A's win. On June 22, he injured his ankle diving for a ball hit to left field by Brandon Belt in the ninth inning that ended up giving the Giants a 5-4 victory.

Cowgill, 26, spent most of the season in Triple-A Sacramento, and would have had a tough time cracking the A's roster with outfielders Chris Young, Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Reddick, Coco Crisp, and Seth Smith set to battle for playing time in Oakland.